Punch is a cigar brand first registered in 1840 by a German named Stockmann and named after the puppet character Mr. Punch. The non-Cuban Punch sold in the US has been made in Honduras since the 1960s and is produced today by General Cigar Company, part of Scandinavian Tobacco Group, mostly at its STG Danlí factory; the A.J. Fernández-blended Diablo is made in Nicaragua, and Golden Era at the Eiroa family’s Aladino factory in Honduras. Strength typically runs from mellow-to-medium (Golden Era, per General Cigar) to full-bodied (Diablo, which General Cigar called its fullest-bodied Punch at launch). A good first pick from Oxford Cigar Company’s Punch page is the Punch Egg Roll XL, a medium-bodied 6 x 60 with a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper over an Ecuadorian Sumatra binder. Its typical notes are natural Broadleaf sweetness with molasses and espresso, delivered at an unhurried pace to the final draw.
Punch Cigars
Punch is a cigar brand first registered in 1840 by a German named Stockmann and named after “Mr. Punch”, the puppet-show character from Punch and Judy; the brand quickly became a success, especially in Great Britain. The non-Cuban version—made in Honduras since the 1960s—was first produced by Villazon & Co., and most of the range is made today by General Cigar Company (part of Scandinavian Tobacco Group) at the STG Danlí factory. The extensive portfolio includes the classic Punch core line, Gran Puro (all-Honduran puro), Gran Puro Nicaragua (Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper over Nicaraguan tobacco), Signature (Ecuadorian Corojo wrapper), the AJ Fernandez-blended Diablo (Ecuadorian Sumatra Oscuro, full-bodied), and the Golden Era (Honduran puro with Corojo wrapper and binder)—spanning mellow-to-medium to full-bodied blends across a wide range of vitolas and price points.
Punch Cigars
Frequently asked questions about Punch Cigars
Who makes Punch cigars and where are they made?
The Punch brand was first registered in 1840 by a German named Stockmann. The non-Cuban Punch sold in the US moved to Honduras in the 1960s under Villazon & Co., which General Cigar Company later acquired. General Cigar, part of Scandinavian Tobacco Group, makes most Punch lines at its STG Danlí factory in Honduras. There are two exceptions. The Punch Diablo was blended by A.J. Fernández and is made at his factory in Estelí, Nicaragua. Punch Golden Era is made by the Eiroa family at Fábrica de Puros Aladino in Honduras. A separate Cuban Punch is still made in Cuba for markets outside the US.
How strong are Punch cigars?
Punch ranges from mellow-to-medium-bodied (General Cigar's description of Golden Era) through medium (Egg Roll XL, Gran Puro) to full-bodied (Diablo). When General Cigar launched the A.J. Fernández-blended Diablo in 2018, it described it as the fullest-bodied Punch to date. How strong a cigar feels still depends on the size and on the smoker.
Which Punch cigar should I try first, and how do the lines differ?
The Punch Egg Roll XL is an easy place to start. It is a 6 x 60 with a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper over an Ecuadorian Sumatra binder, and its typical notes are natural Broadleaf sweetness, molasses and espresso. The other lines differ mainly in tobacco. The original Gran Puro uses only Honduran tobacco; Gran Puro Nicaragua pairs Nicaraguan binder and filler with a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper. Signature has an Ecuadorian Corojo wrapper over Dominican and Nicaraguan filler. Golden Era is built around Honduran Corojo. Diablo is the bolder, full-bodied blend from A.J. Fernández.
Where can I buy Punch cigars?
Oxford Cigar Company carries a selection of Punch on its Punch category page: https://oxfordcigarcompany.com/punch-cigars/. Free US shipping on orders $50+.